Pen-cleaner



(No Mod e1.)

- R. W. POPE.

PEN CLEANER. No. 410,919. Patented Sept. 10, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH W. POPE, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

PEN-CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,919, datedSeptember 10,1889. Application filed October 12, 1886. Serial No.215,999- (No model.) Patented ill England November 6, NO- 5" To all whomit may concern..-

Be it known that I, RALPH V. POPE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New J ersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pen-Cleaners, (forwhich I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 14,083, datedNovember 2, 1886,) of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the class of devices employed for removing inkand fibers from the nibs of pens.

The object of the invention is to provide a compact, economical, andeifectual device for cleaning writing-pens and removing fibers of paperand ink sediment quickly and thoroughly from the nibs of pens.

In a patent, No. 268,431, issued to me December 5, 1882, there isdescribed and claimed a device of the same general character as thatdescribed herein; but the present invention involves certainimprovements upon that referred to.

The special object of the invention is to simplify the construction andlessen the cost of the manufactured article, at the same time providinga more desirable means of receiving and cleaning the point of a pen.

The device is constructed in substantially the following manner: A blockis formed of strips of unsized paper or bibulous paper placed togetherside by side, the edges and ends being perfectly even with each other,so as to form a smooth surface. The ends may then be served with glue orany other adhesive substance, the mass being pressed together as firmlyas in practice may be found necessary. The ends may also be covered withcloth or paper for thepurpose of making the article more durable. Theweight of the paper block is in some cases sufficient to prevent it frombeing raised by lifting the pen; but usually it is desirable to placethe block in a suitable case or holder of metal, glass, or some materialwhich serves to increase the weight and renders the article useful as apaper-weight. WVhen the holder is used, the ends of the strips of papermay or may not be bound with cloth or paper and glue; but in practice itis found convenient to replace the blocks which have been used in theholders by blocks having their ends so bound. The holder is preferablyrectangular in shape and provided with approximately vertical walls. Theinner surfaces of the two walls, which are parallel with the lengths ofthe paper strips, are beveled or converge from the top for a distancetoward the bottom of the holder; but the lower portions are vertical, orthey may in some instances slant outward slightly. The two end walls arepreferably vertical. The paper, when it is placed in a holder soconstructed, is pressed or crowded together by the converging sides, andthe pressure thus secured serves to hold it in place. Should the paperin the holder become loose, additional strips may be added, and shouldthe strips be packed so tightly as to prevent the point of the pen fromentering readily, then one or more of the strips may be taken out. It ispreferred to use laminae of paper in constructing the pen-cleaner; butthin strips or plates of other materials might be substituted.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan, partly in section, ofthe pen-cleaner in the holder; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section through thelines 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig 3 is a section through the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures, a a represent a series of strips of paper orother suitable material placed side by side, and which may have theirends bound together. These strips are wedged into a case or holder A,which constitutes a convenient base. The base is rectangular in shape,and the central portion for receiving the paper is formed by four wallsI) b 0' 0 The two end walls I) and b are preferably straight upon theirinner surfaces.

The sidewalls c and c converge slightly from the top, as shown at e e.The lower portions 6 e are, however, vertical. The paper may, by reasonof this construction, be readily wedged between the walls and thus heldsecurely.

I claim as my invention 1. A pen-cleaner consisting of the combinationof strips of fibrous material placed side by side, and an externalbinding material covering opposite ends and binding the strips together,substantially as described.

2. A pen-cleaner consisting of strips of paper or other similar materialformed into a block, as shown, and a holder for the same 4 having sideseonvergin g from the upper edges.

6. A pen-cleaner consisting of a block .formed of fiat strips of paperor other material plaeed side by side, and a holder for the samepressing against the sides of the block and thereby holding the stripsin position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day ofOctober, A. D. 1886.

RALPH W. POPE.

Witnesses:

DANL. W. EDGECOMB, CHARLES A. TERRY.

